by Sam Amick, USA TODAY Sports

by Sam Amick, USA TODAY Sports

HOUSTON - Los Angeles Clippers point guard Chis Paul was asked on Saturday if his team needed to upgrade their roster for the short term while possibly compromising the long-term outlook.

"I don't think we need to (make any trades)," Paul said.

It was an interesting setup on the media stages for Saturday's availability that Paul and Boston Celtics center Kevin Garnett were side by side.

As if there was any chance the buzz was going to die down about the Clippers landing Boston's Hall-of-Fame-bound big man to join forces with their Hall-of-Fame-bound point guard, the curious (and convenient) positioning only fueled the latest trade deadline fire. Possibilities like this one remain endless leading up to the Feb. 21 deadline, but nothing has come of them yet.

In terms of a player's input potentially affecting roster moves, Paul's star status combined with the fact that he'll be a free agent this summer has afforded him more latitude than perhaps any other player in the league right now. But despite his affection for Garnett, he insisted that he's not pushing for this particular trade.

"No," he said when asked if he had asked Clippers officials to land Garnett. "Everybody knows I love our team. I love the position that we're in right now (third in the Western Conference at 29-17). We've been playing great basketball. Right now, I'm focused on who we have and what we're doing, because we're not playing bad."

While there had been no communication between the Clippers' and Celtics' front offices as of two weeks ago regarding a deal that would bring Garnett to the Clippers, a person with knowledge of the situation said Boston has initiated the talks but nothing substantial has come of them. The Clippers, the person said, are considering this possibility and a number of others as the deadline approaches. The person spoke to USA TODAY Sports on the condition of anonymity because of the private nature of the discussions.

Garnett said on Saturday morning that he has no intentions of waiving his no-trade clause, though the notion of playing for the Clippers could eventually be intriguing to him not only because it's a chance to contend for a title but because he lives in Malibu, Calif. during the offseason. A person with knowledge of Garnett's position said he's unlikely to change that stance on the no-trade clause unless the Celtics trade small forward Paul Pierce and it's made crystal clear that the Celtics as he knows them are done. The person spoke to USA TODAY Sports on the condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of his situation. The fact that the Celtics pursued the Clippers is telling, too, as Boston general manager Danny Ainge is clearly contemplating a major move before the deadline.

Clippers coach Vinny Del Negro has a good relationship with team owner Donald Sterling, but he is also a coach in the final year of his contract who has, to this point, been unable to land more security for his future. According to a person with knowledge of his situation, Del Negro's representatives have had ongoing talks with Sterling about a contract extension since training camp, but a new deal has yet to be agreed on. The person spoke to USA TODAY Sports on the condition of anonymity because of the private nature of the talks.

Yet while these trade rumblings created quite a stir around Paul and the Clippers, it was still nothing compared to the daily drama that unfolds with the Los Angeles Lakers and fellow free-agent-to-be Dwight Howard. The main difference? Paul, with or without Garnett, continues to appear happy.

"For me, it's all about basketball and all about right now," Paul said. "And I think the difference is, too, that Dwight just got (to Los Angeles) this past summer, you know what I mean? I was here all of last season, so I'm a lot more familiar with my team and our organization. They know me a lot better than the Lakers have relationships with him.